Gemotions

The email arrived like a cold splash of water. The scholarship was being rescinded, a clerical error. But all Maya could focus on was the quiet, knowing smile of her advisor, Mr. Bellwether. She'd developed a deep regard for him, the way he listened, the way he encouraged her. She'd crafted her application to his preferred specifications, and a part of her wondered if he knew about the error all along.

She was suddenly acutely aware of every interaction, every shared laugh, every encouraging nod. Her cheeks burned, she felt clumsy around him. She’d catch herself lingering in the hallway outside his office, listening for the sound of his voice. Her mind conjured images of him, his laugh, his warm, hazel eyes.

The email's consequence was less about the money and more about the connection she felt with him. The thought of it being over made her stomach turn.